It happened. It has returned home. Unboxing vid is being worked on. Will probably be ready Wednesday night.

That person contacted me on Facebook 3 weeks ago. Last time I had any contact with this person was 2001 or so.
There is only 1 thing we might talk about.
I lent him my other black lotus.
To be fair, he did try to give it back...as I showed up to work to pick up my paycheck, dressed up to go out clubbing. He had it in his hands, ready to give to me, but I was about to go out doing stupid club stuff in San Francisco. I said "I'll get it from you tomorrow, or the next day".
That day never came. for whatever reason, I didn't get it back. Well, he DID fire me from my job at the comic book store, THEN he moved away.... But he did try to give it back to me.
3 weeks ago he contacted me, on Facebook, and said: "hey, hows it going. Hey I found that card you lent me. That BLACK LOTUS card. Gimme your address and I will mail it back to you"
Today he gave me the shipping number.
If my BLACK LOTUS does in fact get mailed to me, I will do an UNBOXING VIDEO and of course, do homage to they guy who finally gave it back to me.
He says it should be in by early next week (that would be Mon or Tue).
Just a heads up to the TMD community (even if TMD is newly remodeled.
Christmasland might just happen in less than a week to someone who goes by LOTUSHEAD.
I will keep you posted (yes, tracking number he sent links to a shipment in Texas (where he lives). So far sounds totally legit (will happen).

19 Players showed up to play 5 rounds of swiss and cut to top 8!

Top 8:
1 Galen Lemai (storm)
2 Adam Telleen (humans)
3 Isaac Sears (Mentor w/Fastbond)
4 Mathew Pence (Dredge)
5 Jim Kinchloe (Mentor)
6 EJ Drew (White Trash)
7 John Vannatta (Ravager Shops)
8 Matt Salts (Doomsday)

This was an awesomely diverse and fun metagame.Esper control x2, Oath, Red Shops, Bomberman were also represented.

Salts beat Galen
John beat Adam
EJ beat Issac
Jim beat Pence

Jim Beat Salts
John beat EJ

Jim takes home bragging rights, as the top 8 split earlier and played it out for glory!

Lists and pics will be added here later.

1st Jim Kincheloe

1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Black Lotus
1 Island
2 Volcanic Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Tundra
1 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Mystic Remora
4 Dark Confidant
4 Mental Mistep
2 Flusterstorm
4 Force of Will
3 Monestary Mentor
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Tinker
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Jace, The Mind Scultpor
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Dack Fayden

Sideboard

2 Island
3 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Yixlid Jailor
1 Rest In Peace
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Blightsteel Collossus
1 Ethersworn Canonist

2nd John Vannatta

4 Arcbound Ravager
1 Lodestone Golem
2 Karn, Silver Golem
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Triskellion
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Sol Ring
2 Sword of Fire/Ice
1 Trinisphere
1 Chalice of the Void
4 Sphere of Resistance
4 Tangle Wire
4 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Black ALotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mana crypt
1 Crucible of Worlds
4 Wasteland
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Strip Mind
4 Mishra's Factory
4 Mishra's Workshop
4 Ancient Tomb

Sideboard

1 Crucible of Worlds
2 Hangerback Walker
1 Karakas
2 Tabernacle at Pendral Vale
2 Grafdiggers Cage
2 Ratchet Bomb
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Pithing Needle

3rd/4th EJ Drew

4 Leonin Arbiter
4 Leonin Relic Warden
4 Spirit of the labrinth
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Containment Priest
2 Ethersworn Canonist
2 Vryn Wingmare
3 Swords to Plowshares
1 Mental Misstep
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Lotus Petal
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Chalice of the Void
9 Plains
4 wasteland
1 flagstone of Trokair
1 Karakas
1 Strip Mine
1 Ghost Quarter

Sideboard

1 Swords to Plowshares
2 Containment Priest
3 Mental Misstep
2 Rest in Peace
2 Kataki's War's Wage
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Stoney Silence
1 Sword of Fire/Ice
1 Mother of Runes
1 Skulclamp

3rd/4th Matt Salts

1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Lotus Petal
1 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Doomsday
4 Gush
4 Force of Will
3 Flusterstorm
4 Mental Misstep
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
4 Preordain
1 Gitaxian Proble
1 Fastbond
2 Thoughtseize
1 Duress
1 Dark Ritual
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Impereial Seal
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will 1 Labroratory Maniac
1 Tendrils of Agony
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Scalding Tarn 4 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
1 Island

Sideboard

1 Yuixlid Jairor
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Nature's Claim
3 Trygon Predator
1 Forest
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Massacre
1 Toxic Deluge

5th-8th Galen Lemei

1 Chain Of Vapor
1 Hurkyl;s Recall
3 Defense Grid
4 Duress
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Tendril's of Agony
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Necropotence
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Dark Petittion
1 Brainstorm
1 Time Twister
1 Mind's Desire
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Ponder
4 Gitaxian Probe
1 Time Walk
4 Dark Ritual
2 Cabal Ritual
1 Lotus Petal
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
4 Underground Sea
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Badlands

Sideboard
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Defense Grid
1 Island
2 Ancient Tomb
2 Rebuild
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Hurky'ls Recall

5th-8th Matthew Pence

4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Undiscovered Paradise
3 Mana Confluence
2 Petrified Field
1 Dakmor Salvage
1 City of Brass
4 Golgari Grave Troll
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Narcomeoba
4 Ichorid
3 Golgari Thug
4 Bloodghast
1 Flamekin Zealot
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobyte
4 Serum Powder
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Bridge from Below
4 Mental Misstep
3 Dread Return
1 Darkblast

Sideboard
4 Ingot Chewer
4 Nature's Claim
4 Barbarian Ring
3 Whispmare

5th-8th Issac Sears

4 Monastery Mentor
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Dig Through Time
1 Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
1 Flusterstorm
4 Force of Will
2 Gitaxian Probe
4 Gush
2 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
4 Mental Misstep
1 Ponder
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Time Walk
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Ancient Grudnge
1 Pyroblast
2 Sylvan Library
2 Dack Fayden
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
2 Flooded Strand
1 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
2 Misty Rainforest
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Tropical Island
3 Tundra
2 Volcanic Island

Sideboard

2 Ancient Grudge
4 Containment Priest
1 Dragonloard Dromoka
2 Nature's Claim
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Swords to Plowshares
4 Tormod's Crypt

5th-8th Adam Telleen

4 Scab Clan Berserker
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Noble Hierarch
3 Mayor of Avebruck
4 Dark Confidant
3 Containment Priest
3 Qasali Pridemage
2 Shardess Agent
2 Grand Arbiter
1 Reflector Mage
1 Chalice of the Void
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Chains of Mephistopheles
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Lotus Petal
1 Strip Mine
4 Cavern of Souls
4 City of Brass
4 Mana Confluence
2 Gemstone Mine
2 Wasteland

Sideboard

1 Wasteland
1 Abrupt Decay
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Chains of Mephistopheles
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Aegis of the golds
1 Containment Priest
2 Izzet Staticaster
3 extirpate
3 Stony Silence

I have no idea how to post pics here, other than leave a URL and leave it. PM me with info if you know.

After having my Vintage backpack stolen last May, I've been out of the Magic thing, except for some local proxy Vintage tourneys (TMD's BC always has an extra deck).

But more importantly, after 15 years, I finally got a recording studio up and working. LotusHead is my "Band Name". and has been since the mid-90's. Also, the internet smartphones and YouTube are all a thing now. So while I am crushed that 20years worth of magic cards are gone, I at least have my other hobby back: making stuff!

Behold, LotusHead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aua9JmKP0h0
It's "rock" and is not related to MTG (I wrote the lyrics in 1992). But it's a video showcasing "my mad editing skills". Also, I wear a costume directly ripping off FSociety from Mr Robot.
In otherwords, feel free to share it with anyone wants to know about actual bands based on Magic Card Names.

Also, super props to BC and Aahz for hooking me up with some excess Workshop pieces, so I can rebuild a 15 proxy deck.

My Unboxing Video!
Feel free to share!

12 players, 4 rounds, top 4

1st/2nd Galen Lemei

1st/2nd Jose Lopez
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Prearl
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Cruible of Worlds
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Chalice of the Void
1 Trinisphere
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Lodestone Golem
4 Sphere of Resistance
4 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Tangle Wire
4 Mishra's Workshop
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Eldrazi Temple
4 Wasteland
4 ThoughtKnot Seer
4 Arcbound Ravager
3 Hangerback Walker
4 Phyrexian Revoker
3 Triskelion

Sideboard
4 Grafdigger's Cage
3 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Crucible of Worlds
2 Tormod's Crypt
3 Dismember
1 Triskelion

3rd/4th Ryan Russel

2 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
4 Forbidden Orchard
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
1 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Time Vault
1 Memory's Journey
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Voltaic Key
2 Preordain
4 Oath of Druids
1 Repeal
4 Force of Will
2 Thoughseize
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Sylvan Library
1 Sol Ring
4 Mental Misstep
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
1 Dig Through TIme
1 Show and Tell
1 Brainstorm
1 Yawgmoth's WIll
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Mox Emeralde
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Black Lotus
2 Griselbrand
1 Ponder
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Flusterstorm
1 Mana Crypt
1 Ancesral Recall

Sideboard

1 Toxic Deluge
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Echoing Truth
3 Nature's Claim
1 Forest
1 Hurky's Recall
2 Ravenous Trap
4 Leyline of the Void

3rd/4th Isaac Sears

1 Elesh Norm, Grand Cenobite
4 Force of Will
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Mental Misstep
4 Narcomoeba
4 Bridge from Below
4 Cabal Therapy
3 Dread Return
3 Golgari Thug
4 Ichorid
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
1 Flame-kin Zealot
4 Prized Amalgam
4 Serum Powder
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Petrified Field

Sideboard

4 Dark Depths
1 Riftstone Portal
4 Thespian's Stage
4 Urborg, tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Vampire Hexmage

Lemme know if anything doesn't add up. Now that I know how to post pics here, I'll take pictures next time

Hey. I'm 45, lost about 100lbs in the last year, got my recording studio up and running for the first time in 15 years, gave up teaching, and will now hit the road, turning my life towards music.
Here is a little selection of what I have been doing.
Also, I have CD's, but have no idea how to market them. Contact me if interested.
Interstellar LotusDrive
Jesse The Surgical Tech
Harry PigNutz
Urine Fashion 2K17
Tax Day Jam
I post at www.youtube.com/teamvacaville
Let me know what you think, feel free to ask any questions!

• Jeff Neilson aka LotusHead

I thought I'd chime in (and get used to posting on TMD again.
As a longtime Shops player, I am fine with this restriction. I don't like it, but I'm fine with it. Shop players have only ever had their decks "kept in check" by the DCI 3 times, as far as I know. Trinisphere, Chalice of the Void, and Lodestone Golem. We still have a rainbow of shop decks to build.
But for god's sake, don't restrict Mishra's Workshop!

I am currently back in Northern California teaching in the Sacramento area. I got hired in December as a replacement teacher, so I've been busy since then. But over spring break I finally to unpack my room, set up my recording studio, and finally got to look at the SWEET SWEET Tormod's Crypts that Prospero mailed me last year after my cards got stolen. (Prospero's from Europe, )
I will edit this more tomorrow, just wanted to get Prospero's shout-out out there cuz I couldn't figure out how to reply to our private conversation.
Jeff

Last year, two backpacks were stolen from my care. One of those was my magic backpack, the other my teacher backpack. A police report was filed, but what else can you do? Hope someone sells it and it gets seen by people that know my cards?
Well, that happened. One of my custom Wastelands were bought from a relatively local store (within an hour of where I live) and spotted by a fellow EDH player familiar with my pimp shit.
I will edit in pics later, but I went to said store, talked to owner and was able to recover my 3 altered Wastelands and an altared Blightsteel Collossus that was also in the display.
So obviously I have some info on who sold the cards to the store. I am totally willing to let the police take over, assuming they plan to follow up on any of this (I have no way of knowing if the police are going to want to investigate a lead on a 15K stolen collection or not.
I am posting this much here, on TMD because people here care. Any advice?
Things I am considering:

1. say nothing more till cops talk to me (ie, wait for the professionals)?
2. Do what I'm doing and find more clues by reaching out actively in MTG groups on social media?
3. Go nuts, make a film out of this because I am leaving behind my life as school teacher, and moving out into the world pursuing a life of music and art? (and if the cops help, great, but wait, what?)
4. Get a lawyer/PrivateDetective/CallPoliceStation and actively get the cops helping solve this crime now. This is 15K worth of cards, and this is what cops are for. Make a stink. ?

I am currently doing step three, and got interrupted by this bizarre thing called "getting hella lucky" by having my unique cards surface.

I don't know if my posts about my cards being lost are on this version of TMD, but TheManaDrain gets the first scoop bitches!

Thoughts?

Re: What's Up with LotusHead?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unhnOyuxFU0
This is 18 minutes of me playing my first public show (I got the stage from 8-1am )

I am currently back in Northern California teaching in the Sacramento area. I got hired in December as a replacement teacher, so I've been busy since then. But over spring break I finally to unpack my room, set up my recording studio, and finally got to look at the SWEET SWEET Tormod's Crypts that Prospero mailed me last year after my cards got stolen. (Prospero's from Europe, )
I will edit this more tomorrow, just wanted to get Prospero's shout-out out there cuz I couldn't figure out how to reply to our private conversation.
Jeff

I am in Rusk, Texas. Limited wifi. SAVAGES!
My only taste of sweet wifi is at McDonald's bathroom 6 miles from where I live.

Hey. I'm 45, lost about 100lbs in the last year, got my recording studio up and running for the first time in 15 years, gave up teaching, and will now hit the road, turning my life towards music.
Here is a little selection of what I have been doing.
Also, I have CD's, but have no idea how to market them. Contact me if interested.
Interstellar LotusDrive
Jesse The Surgical Tech
Harry PigNutz
Urine Fashion 2K17
Tax Day Jam
I post at www.youtube.com/teamvacaville
Let me know what you think, feel free to ask any questions!

• Jeff Neilson aka LotusHead

I followed up investigation by going to Davis PD, and an officer met me at the shop in Davis where cards were found. He was as helpful as he could be without say, helping. (He is not sure that the cards can be proven to be unique as there are no serial numbers etc. )
So I will have to find the seller of my cards myself. I'm thinking of making a fun video (since I have a studio and jump at any chance to use it) to get the seller to come to me.
Now I have to go to work, but I thought I'd leave this update here in case there is a better plan that what I have come up with.
List of cards with detail are on my Google Doc, I will post in all the FB sites where Magic happens in NorCal, personally contact each store to let them know how to find list of cards in case they got any of them at their store. Make video to get seller to come to me.
THEN hand off to police.

@Prospero What was returned was the 3 Wastelands, 1 Foil WurmCoil Engine (with unique damage), 3 Triskellions (1 foil Mir, 1 Foil French Mir, 1 asian non-foil), bent foil Duplicant and non-foil DSC. All but DSC was in Shop Deck with power, and my google doc has specifics on each card (ie, Mox Jet and Mox Emerald I can differentiate, but Saphire and Lotus are just like any other sapphire or lotus.

@Prospero Aahz and BC from TMD allready hooked me up with a start on a Vintage shop deck a few months ago (tangle wires, spheres, a few more lockpieces and robots), but with these 9 cards, I'm closer than ever. Hell, if you are gonna force a Tolarian Academy and Ancient Tombs and Mishra's Factories on me, that would help. But I may just uncover more now that I am being more public about it.
But I'm just lucky that any sign of them at all showed up. Incredible luck for someone who lost all their cards!
I did find my underpowered EDH deck (lost in trunk for 2 years, so I still have Unl Chaos Orb, Alpha Demonic Hordes, and the Berzerk I opened from my first pack of Magic in '94.

Well, here's a rough draft of what my MTG App has listed, plus filling in some gaps from memory.
List of Cards on google docs
Talked to FFPD in person again. They want this list, and for me to talk to Davis PD (where cards were recovered, to pick up investigation from there, so that's what I'm doing. Making list. Will contact Davis PD soon.

@LotusHead Online police report was rejected, and said I had to come in, which I was more than happy to do. Cops listened to me explain situation again, and they want me to contact Davis PD once I have my list of cards typed up. (I live in Fairfield, cards stolen in Fairfield, cards recovered at Bizarro World in Davis. )
Once list types up, will post to all the MTG stores/FB groups to see if cards were unloaded elsewhere.

Person and address exist, left business card with wife. Probably not this guy, but I havent talked to him yet. Apparently he does.comics but not MTG. We will see.